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CNN Headlines: 18 Passengers Under Monitoring At U.S. Medical Sites; Trump Heads To China For Talks With Xi Amid War With Iran; Trump: Ceasefire With Iran Is On "Massive Life Support"; Suspect In Custody After Opening Fire Near Harvard University. Aired 5-5:30a ET
Aired May 12, 2026 - 05:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[05:00:22]
BRAD SMITH, CNN ANCHOR: Doctors are monitoring more than a dozen people who are on board that cruise ship linked to a hantavirus outbreak. What health officials are saying now about any risk to the public?
And --
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We saw the guy walking down the street and raising the gun, and he was shooting, shooting.
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SMITH: What happened as a man starts shooting on a busy street near Harvard University?
Plus, there's this.
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DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: Normally, I would have said it was a (EXPLETIVE DELETED) house, but I don't want to say that.
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SMITH: President Trump shares how he really felt about the White House as the Secret Service has some questions to answer today about the controversial ballroom.
And this did not go as planned. The story behind the break-in that ended in flames.
Good morning, everyone. I'm Brad Smith. It is Tuesday, May 12th. This is CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS.
This morning were watching a lot, including this 18 passengers from the cruise ship at the center of a deadly hantavirus outbreak, remaining under monitoring in Omaha and in Atlanta. One person in quarantine in Omaha, shared this Instagram selfie,
saying he's feeling well and the flight back to the U.S. was smooth. There's no indication that he tested positive. As for the ship, its now heading back to the Netherlands after the disembarking process wrapped up yesterday.
CNN's Karin Caifa walks us through the latest from U.S. health officials.
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KARIN CAIFA, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Americans evacuated from the cruise ship at the center of a deadly hantavirus outbreak touched down in Omaha, Nebraska, early Monday, home to a specialized quarantine unit.
JOHN KNOX, HHS DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY: Over the next several days, passengers will undergo an initial health assessment and receive guidance on next steps from the CDC, experts and other partners.
CAIFA (voice-over): Officials said 16 passengers remained at the University of Nebraska medical center, one in a bio-containment unit for care, the other 15 in quarantine for monitoring.
DR. MICHAEL WADMAN, UNMC QUARANTINE UNIT DIRECTOR: Everyone here is asymptomatic and afebrile and do not have a temperature at this time.
CAIFA (voice-over): Two others are in a biocontainment unit at Atlanta's Emory University, with one experiencing symptoms. Passengers who remain asymptomatic will be given an option to complete a 42-day monitoring period at home or in the medical facilities. Health officials emphasize this is a variant that does not spread easily.
DR. BRIAN CHRISTINE, HHS ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF HEALTH: Let me be crystal clear: the risk of hantavirus to the general public remains very, very low.
CAIFA (voice-over): But stopped short of a guarantee it won't spread to the general public.
CDR. BRENDAN JACKSON, CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL & PREVENTION: There are no guarantees in life. We're putting as many measures in place as possible to ensure that people are safe and healthy, and we keep the community safe and healthy as well.
CAIFA (voice-over): Meanwhile, in a message posted by the cruise ship operator on Monday, the ship's captain thanked the crew, passengers and others for their support.
JAN DOBROGOWSKI, CAPTAIN OF MV HONDIUS: What moved me the most was your patience, your discipline and also kindness -- kindness that you show to each other.
CAIFA (voice-over): At least three people have died from the current outbreak, according to the World Health Organization.
In Washington, I'm Karin Caifa.
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SMTH: Thank you, Karin.
Public health experts, they stress that the Andes variant of the hantavirus only spreads between people in close contact. CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta will break down just what that means a little bit later on in the show.
President Trump is expected to depart for Beijing later today for a high stakes meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. The trip was originally focused on trade, but the conflict and resulting energy crunch hitting China hard, have now moved Iran much higher up on that agenda.
Yesterday, the Trump administration imposed sanctions on 12 companies and individuals it says are helping to facilitate the sale and shipment of oil from Iran to China. The White House says that more than a dozen business leaders will accompany the president to Beijing, including Apple CEO Tim Cook and Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
And for more on the war with Iran, President Trump meeting with his national security team overnight. Sources telling us that military action is back on the table after Trump dismissed Iran's latest counter proposal.
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TRUMP: I would call it the weakest right now. After reading a piece of garbage they sent us. I didn't even finish reading it. I would say the ceasefire is on massive life support.
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SMITH: Meanwhile, Iran's top negotiator and speaker of parliament took to social media to warn against any aggression, saying in part, quote, "We are prepared for every option. They will be surprised."
CNN's Oren Liebermann is tracking developments from Jerusalem.
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OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF: The path forward is difficult. There are different camps within the Trump administration.
[05:05:01]
Some, especially officials in the Pentagon, are pushing for the aggressive option. A resumption of military strikes on Iran, while others are trying to keep that diplomatic track alive. Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, met with Qatari officials in Miami recently to try to backchannel and make that Pakistani channel more viable. But it's unclear that that had any real effect here.
Trump also said in the White House on Monday that he has the best plan ever to end the war. So we'll see what that is. And when he puts it into effect and why he hasn't. He also said, you have to do different plans in different days. He said that in the White House. So I guess well see what today's plan is and crucially, what the plan is after Trump meets Chinese President Xi Jinping in China later this week.
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SMITH: Thank you, Oren.
A sudden ruling by the Supreme Courts conservative majority is clearing the way for Alabama to eliminate a majority black district. The justices ruled that the state can go back to a map enacted in 2023, with just one majority black district. With no additional explanation, they tossed out a lower court decision that blocked the use of the 2023 map.
Justice Sonia Sotomayor and two other liberal justices dissented, calling the ruling inappropriate and saying it, quote, will cause only confusion as Alabamians begin to vote in the election scheduled for next week. Just last month, the court weakened the scope of Voting Rights Act when they ruled that Louisiana could eliminate a majority Black district from its congressional map.
And in Virginia, Democrats are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to put a congressional map back in place that stands to benefit their party in the midterms this fall. The emergency appeal filed Monday comes after Virginia's highest court threw out that map last week. The map had been approved by voters in an April referendum, part of a flurry of redistricting across the country ahead of the 2026 elections. It could give Democrats as many as four more seats in Congress.
Well, today, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine are back on Capitol Hill. Senate members are expected to question the two about the war with Iran. Just weeks after the defense secretary clashed with lawmakers over war costs and just how far the president can go.
A man is in custody this morning after a wild scene unfolded near Harvard University yesterday. But a warning for you that the video were about to show is disturbing.
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SMITH: You heard that flurry of gunshots, followed by someone carrying a long gun, stepping out from behind the trees and into view. And then another shot before that person is seen falling to the ground. But they continue to shoot before tossing the weapon away. That person taken into custody.
And here is how one eyewitness described the incident.
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UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We saw the guy walking down the street and raising the gun, and he was shooting, shooting. My driver got out. I tried to crawl underneath the seats and then I saw they was getting closer and closer and I could see him coming. So I crawled out of the van.
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SMITH: At least one person was treated for a gunshot wound, according to state police. Thankfully, no one else was hurt.
Happening today, a court hearing in Florida over Tiger Woods' March DUI arrest. Woods is not required to be there. The hearing is expected to focus primarily on whether or not his prescription drug records should be turned over to the state as evidence. Woods has pleaded not guilty.
We've got lots more to come on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS. Thousands of acres of the Florida Everglades on fire. This morning, crews still trying to contain the blaze that started on Sunday.
And it has been 100 days since the 84 year old mother of "Today Show" host, Savannah Guthrie, disappeared from her Arizona home. Where do things stand right now with the investigation? Weve got that later in the hour.
And facing federal charges. The man accused of trying to assassinate President Trump during the White House correspondents dinner makes a plea while his attorneys try to get prosecutors off the case.
Stay with us. You're watching CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS.
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SMITH: People living near the Everglades are doing everything they can to protect their homes from a wildfire. This was the scene in Pembroke Pines, Florida, yesterday as neighbors were using garden hoses while firefighters brought out the big hoses as well.
Here you get a better sense of what they are dealing with. The fire started Sunday and quickly spread in southwest Broward County and northwest Miami-Dade County. Firefighters are telling neighbors to stay inside with their windows closed.
Meanwhile, in Arizona, residents are being told to get out. A go evacuation order is in effect due to a large brush fire. This is near Wickenburg. Forestry officials, they said that the fire was about 100 acres in size Monday afternoon.
The Red Cross has opened an emergency shelter for evacuated residents. The cause of the fire is unknown. Twelve million people are under a heat alert today.
CNN meteorologist Derek Van Dam walks us through the forecast that you need to know.
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DEREK VAN DAM, AMS METEOROLOGIST: In early season, summer-like heat wave is building over the southwestern U.S. We already have heat alerts in effect mainly across the interior of California as well as the desert southwest. You can see the central valley of California included in that. So is Phoenix, Arizona. Remember, this is an early season heat wave, so we need to take all the precautions because were coming off of our spring and winter season. So not quite used to the extreme heat.
Well, it won't be that long lasting. So that's the good news here. Look, as I advance this temperature map going forward through the rest of the week, a cold front will try to nudge the most extreme and unpleasant heat further and further eastward. So as we head into the second half of the workweek, the central parts of the U.S. and eventually the southeast will get in on some of this warmth as well.
All of these red dots, those are locations that could tie or break record high temperatures going forward. So dozens expected over the west in the coming days before the ridge breaks down and the heat shifts east. So where could we see those record high temperatures? Las Vegas, that's an example. We're running anywhere from 10 to 20 degrees above where we should be this time of year.
Be prepared. Find plenty of shade. If you work outdoors and drink lots of water.
Back to you.
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SMITH: All right, let's keep tabs on. Thank you so much, Derek.
Still to come on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS, you have got to see this. A car smashes into a weed shop and then you can see the suspects pouring gasoline and setting it on fire. We've got more on this story later in the hour.
And gas prices are high and airfares are rising. Are people still planning summer travel? We'll dive into it on the other side of the break.
Stay with us.
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[05:21:07]
SMITH: The Supreme Court is maintaining full access to the abortion pill mifepristone a little while longer here. The justices on Monday extending last weeks short term order for a few more days. This allows women to get the pill via telehealth or in the mail without visiting the doctor.
In the meantime, the high court will deliberate, having set a new Thursday deadline for their decision. Access to the pill was thrown into question following a ruling from a lower court, which mandated that women can only be prescribed the drug after an in-person doctor's visit. We all remember how fun recess used to be at school. Turns out it's
not just a fun break. It is crucial for good health and good grades for kids of all ages. That's not just me saying that. That is the message from a leading group of pediatricians, which just released new guidance on the importance of recess.
The American academy of pediatrics says that unstructured breaks can help kids build confidence and new relationships. They recommend students get at least 120 minute break every day during school. Experts also say that recess should be protected and never withheld as a punishment.
We're getting close to the unofficial start of summer memorial day weekend, and it appears that high gas prices wont deter most Americans from traveling. AAA estimates that roughly 45 million people will be on the roads.
CNN's Jenn Sullivan has more.
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JENN SULLIVAN, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Despite high gas prices, people aren't putting the brakes on traveling. AAA estimates a record 45 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more this Memorial Day weekend, with more than 39 million expected to drive.
AXIA DIAZ, AAA SPOKESPERSON: I think it would have to take a much higher jump and spike in gas prices in order for people to just stay home altogether if they were already planning to travel.
SULLIVAN (voice-over): AAA spokesperson Axia Diaz says more than 3.6 million people plan to fly over the holiday weekend. Even with airfare going up. She says travelers will likely pull back on spending elsewhere.
DIAZ: The people who want to get away this summer, or just even over memorial day weekend, are going to find a way to do it.
SULLIVAN (voice-over): As of Monday, the national average for a gallon of regular gas was $4.52. That's about $1.35 more than Memorial Day prices last year, according to AAA.
Since the war with Iran began, gas prices have surged more than 50 percent. Maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has essentially halted, and it's severely impacting oil production around the world.
PATRICK DE HAAN, GASBUDDY HEAD OF PETROLEUM ANALYSIS: Every day that goes by, it could add another week to how long it takes to recover these massive tanks that hold crude oil are draining Iran's stored oil at sea is draining.
SULLIVAN (voice-over): Patrick de Haan with GasBuddy says gas prices won't come down until there's more clarity on a possible peace deal between the U.S. and Iran. Without a deal in sight, summer travel could get even more expensive. DE HAAN: The risk is that if we go into peak travel season across the
northern hemisphere with the Strait of Hormuz holding back nearly 18 million barrels of oil every day, that there could be a super surge in prices as the summer starts to get underway.
SULLIVAN (voice-over): Even when a deal is struck, De Haan says it could take months or even a year to see pre-war prices at the pump again.
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SMITH: Thanks, Jenn.
Well, coming up, the cost of summer travel could be eased with a federal gas tax suspension. This is something that President Trump is proposing, but it will need the approval of Congress.
And tracking and tracing hantavirus. CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta has more of a look in on how the virus spreads and just how close you have to be to an infected person to really get it here. We've got that coming your way. Plus, the price tag of the White House ballroom construction. It just keeps growing and growing and growing.
The latest on the cost, straight ahead.
Stay with us. You're watching CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS.
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[05:29:46]
SMITH: It is half past the hour. Let's hit the refresh button on our top stories.
All remaining passengers are safely off the cruise ship at the center of the deadly hantavirus outbreak. The ship and its crew seen here heading back to the Netherlands for disinfecting. Eighteen of the passengers are back on U.S. soil for monitoring.
President Trump is set to leave for China this afternoon for a high stakes visit now happening.
